Home Internationals 2013 - Swansea

Wales hosted the 2013 Home Internationals for Over 60s and Over 65 in Swansea over the weekend of 29-30 June 2013.

Both competitions involved England, Scotland and Wales, with the Over 60s playing for the Linburn Trophy which has been held by England since the competition began in 2009. England have also been the Over 65s champions since that date, though Wales did not join the competition until 2012. England won all their matches to win both competitions, with Wales runners up in the Over 60s tournament courtesy of a win over Scotland, and Scotland claiming silver at Over 65 level on goal difference after a 1-1 draw between the two sides.

Tournament Programme

Over 60s

Saturday 29 June

10.00 England 4 Scotland 0

Scotland started briskly and the first half began with five minutes of sustained Scottish pressure, with Duraczyk prominent on the right. England then began to claw their way back into the game and scored from a short corner after Taylor had saved the first shot, only to be left helpless on the ground asthe English player roofed the ball int the net. Taylor could do nothing about the magnificent second goal, a diagonal ball from the left being met by the English right winger running in at full pelt to scream the ball into the Scottish net. Scotland regrouped at half time and restricted England in the third quarter, but by this time the midfield players were flagging and failing to feed the Scotland forwards. A 2-0 result would have been satisfactory if disappointing, and Scotland re-organised the formation in the final quarter. This worked up to a point, Scotland exerting a bit of pressure on the English defence. However it also left them more open at the back, and England capitalised with a goal put in by the totally unmarked right back who had popped up in the left wing position, then a scrambled goal at a short corner which the Scots failed to clear.

Taylor saves from an England Over 60s short corner

16.00 Wales 5 Scotland 3 (Morrison, Bishop 2)

Scotland surrendered goals too easily in a pulsating game in which Wales raced to a two goal lead in the opening minutes and increased their lead to three before Bishop crossed from the right to Morrison, who netted to bring the score back to 3-1. Scotland pressed to reduce the deficit further but another Welsh breakaway led to a fourth for the home side. The Scorrish defence just could not cope with Ian Johnson, whose direct and forceful running was responsible for all of the Welsh goals. In the second half, Scotland re-jigged the midfield and reduced the deficit almost immediately. Connaghan's overhead ball was misfielded by a Welsh defender and Bishop picked up the loose ball. He passed to Morrison who drove into the circle and laid the ball into the path of Bishop who put the ball past the Welsh goalkeeper to make it 4-2. Panic bells started to ring amongst the Welsh when Morrison again combined with Bishop, who forced the ball home from close range to set up a grandstand finish. It was not to be for Scotland as the defence once more proved vulnerable to a quick breakaway and Wales claimed their fifth, and decisive, goal to leave Scotland without any points in the tournament.

Sunday 30 June

10.30 Wales 1 England 7

Wales resisted England for a long period in this match but quality eventually told and England retained the Linburn Trophy comfortably.

Over 65s

Friday 28 June

17:30 Scotland 1 (Bryce} Wales 1 (Paddock)

Scotland almost totally dominated this match but could not convert their domination into goals and when Wales scored from their only short corner in the last quarter of the game, a shock result looked on the cards until Bryce converted one of many Scottish short corners to tie the match with only three minutes to go. Scotland played their best hockey in the first half but the cutting edge was missimg. Brittain-Dodd was prominent on the right but his crosses were easily dealt with by a solid and compact Welsh defence. However, one of his crosses from the goal line found Gordon, who met it well but put his shot past the post. Driving runs by Crichton ended in either a Welsh clearance or a short corner, but the Scottish routine was not working and the Welsh easily dealt with them.

Wales came out on the offensive at the start of the second half and pressed the Scots back for the first time, but normal service was soon resumed with Scotland once more taking the game to the home side. The Scottish midfield began to sit back and, while chances came to the Scots, the Welsh came more into the game, and Paddock had the only chance of any note for Wales, putting the ball past the post. Ferrol hit the Welsh post with a shot which took a deflection off McNab's stick, then one of Wales's rare attacks resulted in a short corner, which Paddock converted with a straight hit to take a totally undeserved lead. Scotland upped their game while Wales sat deep in a bid to hold on to their lead, conceding a series of short corners without looking unduly troubled by incessant Scottish attacks. Scotland had a bit of bad luck when the umpire blew for a short corner for Scotland just before the ball went into the Welsh net but Bryce made up for it by slotting away his shot to put Scotland level with only three minutes left.

Saturday 29 June

12.00 England 7 Wales 0

Wales, depleted by injuries and tired after a very hard match the previous evening, were hardly in this match and were rarely seen as an attacking force. England ran out easy winners and could have scored more, a combination of a packed, resolute Welsh defence and some wayward English shooting keeping the score to only seven.

Sunday 30 June

10:30 England 3 (Hutchings, Stowell 2) Scotland 0

Scotland, deprived of Alan Bain through injury, put in a spirited and well organised performance against a strong English side. They showed discipline and calmness under pressure, and kept the ball well, players working with each other and moving into good positions off the ball. All the same, England took the lead in the first quarter when Hutchings was allowed to advance into the circle unopposed to fire it past Pollard. The only other chance of note came when Stowell hit a fierce shot over the Scottish bar from a cross from the left. As the game wore on, England could still not find a way through the Scottish defence, and when they did, keeper Pollard was off his line to clear the ball to a Scootish defender or deflect it past the post. Scotland could have snatched an equaliser when the forwards and English keeper were involved in an old fashioned stramash in front of goal but England managed to clear the ball eventually. Disappointingly, Scotland conceded two late goals from Stowell. For once he escaped his marker and scored from close range, then the same player deflected a hard ball fired into the circle past the helpless Pollard. Still, Scotland had only to lose by fewer than seven goals to claim second place from Wales on goal difference and the job was done. The whole team deserved the man of the match award and the performance bodes well for Scotland's chances in the European Cup in August.